Formulary Watch

A new Business Group on Health survey finds that nearly a quarter of all employer healthcare spending (24%) went to pharmacy expenses in 2024, and employers forecast an 11% to 12% increase in pharmacy costs heading into 2026.

Dawnzera (donidalorsen) will be available in a few days with a list price of $57,462 per dose

The biosimilar will be available to any licensed specialty pharmacy in the United States at a 95% discount from Stelara, starting January 1, 2026.

The FDA has granted priority review of the sNDA and assigned a goal date of Dec. 20, 2025, for Imcivree to treat patients with acquired hypothalamic obesity, which is caused by an abnormality of the hypothalamus.

A new study finds Medicare beneficiaries are facing higher deductibles and cost-sharing requirements following changes implemented by health plans as a result of the Inflation Reduction Act.

Tonmya is the first new fibromyalgia treatment approved by the FDA in more than 15 years, providing symptom relief for at least 30% of patients when compared to placebo, according to clinical trial results.

Wegovy is the first GLP-1 drug approved to treat adults with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH). An ongoing study aims to confirm the benefits.

Papzimeos is the first and only FDA-approved treatment for adults with recurrent respiratory papillomatosis (RRP), with ongoing clinical studies showing symptom relief for up to two years.

To help Medicare plans better manage members with high drug expenses, Prime Therapeutics has launched an AI-driven tool to help plans identify members likely to experience increases in pharmacy costs.

Pharmacists and prescribers express ongoing concern about medication prior authorization struggles, but most are willing to adopt new technologies to ease the burden, according to a recent Surescripts survey.

Brinsupri is the first approved therapy to address the underlying inflammatory process of non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis (NCFB).

Teva's Ajovy gains FDA approval for pediatric migraine prevention, offering hope for children aged 6-17 with this debilitating condition.

Modeyso is the first drug to treat patients with diffuse midline glioma with an H3 K27M mutation, an ultra-rare and aggressive brain tumor.

Ixchiq now has a warning about its use among elderly people with multiple underlying health conditions after postmarketing reports indicated there is a risk of neurologic and cardiac events in people over the age of 60.

The FDA has approved VIZZ, a once-daily, preservative-free eye drop that improves near vision in adults with presbyopia for up to 10 hours.

Sarepta continues to work with regulators to complete the safety label update for Elevidys, and they are discussing an approach for risk mitigation for non-ambulatory patients.

Two PBMs, True Rx Health Strategies and Capital Rx, are using pharmacogenomics — how a person’s DNA affects their response to medications — to reduce the trial-and-error of prescribing medications, saving employers and patients time and money.

Health policy researcher Geoffrey Joyce argues that only delinking compensation from the list price of a drug will lower drug spending.

Last week, an FDA advisory committee against the risk-benefit profile of Blenrep in combination with other therapies. Regulators and reviewers were concerned about the ocular side effects and dosing and tolerability. The new action date is Oct. 23, 2025.

Sarepta officials said the temporary halt in shipments was done to maintain a productive working relationship with regulators while they address a safety labeling update about the risk of acute liver disease related to Elevidys.

Icotrokinra is a first-in-class targeted oral peptide that blocks interleukin (IL) 23 and its receptor, which plays a key role in the inflammatory response in plaque psoriasis.

Elevidys is a gene therapy approved to treat Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Last month, Sarapta halted sales of the therapy for non-ambulatory patients.

Some vials in two lots of the antibiotic cefazolin are labeled as being penicillin G potassium, which if used could lead to suboptimal outcomes, adverse events, drug interactions and delayed recovery.

This new Shingrix vaccine presentation eliminates the need for reconstitution, simplifying the administration process for healthcare professionals.

Following in the footsteps of other pharmaceutical companies, Bristol Myers Squibb and Pfizer are offering Eliquis for cash-paying patients at a discount of 40% off the list price.

Leqselvi (deuruxolitinib) 8 mg tablets are approved for adults with severe alopecia areata, a disease that causes the immune system to attack hair follicles, leading to partial or complete hair loss on the scalp and body.

Kerendia was originally approved in July 2021 to reduce cardiovascular and kidney complications in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) associated with type 2 diabetes. This new approval extends its use to a broader patient population.

Orsini will be the specialty pharmacy partner for Ekterly.